A chess tournament launched by an employee at North East engineering company Turntide Technologies is continuing to grow, with 16 players competing in its second annual event.
The tournament, held at Turntide’s Gateshead campus, brought together employees from across the business and was won by Bradley Hopkins, who is currently working at the company on a fixed-term contract.
Bradley’s victory has also earned him an invitation to return to defend his title at next year’s competition.
The tournament was established by Turntide Senior Test Automation Engineer Dalil Benchebra, who competes in regional chess leagues and is secretary of Leam Lane Chess Club and a member of the Northumberland Chess Association Executive Committee.
Dalil said: “What started as an idea between a handful of colleagues has quickly grown into something people genuinely look forward to each year.
“It’s been fantastic to see employees from different teams and backgrounds taking part, whether they’re experienced players or simply keen to challenge themselves and learn something new.”
This year’s event also strengthened Turntide’s links with the wider North East chess community, with AFM Irina Briggs, chair of Leam Lane Chess Club, attending as a special guest.
Irina competes nationally, including in the UK Blitz Championships, and is a licensed English Chess Federation arbiter. Following the Turntide tournament, she faced Bradley in a best-of-three match, which Bradley won 2-1.
Dalil said the growing interest in chess within Turntide also reflects some of the skills found within the advanced engineering work undertaken by the business.
“Chess encourages patience, strategic thinking and continuous learning, qualities that also underpin many aspects of engineering and innovation,” he said.
“More importantly, though, it’s brought people together and created new connections across the business.
“We’ve also been fortunate to receive fantastic support from the local chess community. Having Irina join us this year added something really special to the event and reflects the close links we’ve developed with clubs across the North East.”
Turntide now hopes to develop the competition further, with plans being considered to eventually invite players from outside the business.
Dalil added: “Our ambition is to continue growing the tournament and, in the future, open it up beyond Turntide to players from across the region through a Turntide Invitational Chess Tournament, creating another opportunity to celebrate the game and strengthen our connection with the local chess community.”
Steve Hornyak, chief executive officer of Turntide Technologies, said the tournament demonstrated the value of supporting initiatives developed by employees themselves.
“One of the strengths of Turntide is the enthusiasm our people bring, not only to their work but to the wider culture of the business,” he said.
“This tournament is a great example of an employee-led initiative that has grown naturally because colleagues have embraced it. It’s encouraged people from across the organisation to connect in new ways, while also strengthening our links with the local community through the North East chess scene.
“Engineering is ultimately about solving complex problems, and while we wouldn’t claim chess makes someone a better engineer, it’s no surprise that a game built around analysis, creativity and strategic thinking has found such an enthusiastic following within our business.”
